Back rolling lock control



AWE 2g 36- l.. H. BRQWNE ,038,986

, BACK ROLLING LOCK CONTROL Filed Jan. 3, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l lNvENToRA /afsay #fen/f7@ Patented Apr. 28, 1936 NITED STATES PATENT OFFICELindsay H. Browne, Rochester, N. Y., assigner to Josiah Anstice & Co.,Inc., Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 3,1933, Serial No. 649,890

12 Claims.

This invention relates to the control of selfpropelled vehicles, andmore particularly road vehicles such as motor cars in the operation ofwhich they are at all times likely to be on an up-grade or an inclinedroad surface sufficiently steep to normally cause the vehicle. to rollbackwards when not under forward driving power. The particular purposeof the invention is to prevent such vehicles from rolling backwardwithout involving the practice heretofore of applying brakes, ordependent upon the judgment of the driver coordinating clutch and brakeactuation.

While in general devices have heretofore been made having simply andelementary functions l5 of preventing back-rolling, this inventionrelates to improved structures having characteristics that providefunctioning as a roll back stop, that meets all of the practicalrequirements of operation. In general, this application involves some ofthe features set forth in my copending patent application Serial No.569,159, and application Serial No. 648,533 and application Serial No.648,186, and the additional inventions involved in this application maybe used in conjunction with and in coordination with the operation morespecifically set forth in said copending applications.

While the inventions herein involved will be evident from thespecification and drawings forming a part hereof, among the particularobjects this application relates to means that cause a roll back stop assoon as the vehicle tends to start rolling backward when on an up-grade,and when the lock has been thrown voluntarily out 35 of functioningposition it prevents its being reset into functioning position until thevehicle is driven forward or starts to roll forward, and even then itprevents the resumption of the locking function, that is the settingthereof into functioning position, until the car has rolled forward apredetermined definite amount. It provides for a structure that may bedesigned in accordance with the particular vehicle requirements andserves to positively lock out any roll back functioning, but, on theother hand, after a definite forward rolling of the driven wheels itautomatically assures the setting of the back lock mechanism in orderthat it may in turn automatically function when required to preventback-rolling. 50 While in normal operation the setting mechanism orthrowing of back-roll locking into functioning is subject topredetermined degree of forward rolling of the vehicle, it will be notedthat the actual driving torque turning the driven shaft 55 alsoaccomplishes the result, and it may in exceptional cases turn the drivenshaft forward with the wheels slipping and no positive forward rollingof the vehicle, so that in general the. cooperation with the settingmechanism is either an effective driving torque or actual forward roll-5 ing of the vehicle.

While the inventions may be variously embodied and their general controlmay vary, there is illustrated herewith one embodiment of which thefollowing is a detailed description with refer 10 ence to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. I is a vertical section through the axis of the driven shaftshowing the back roll stop, part fragmentary, and one form of operatingmeans, fragmentary.

Fig. II is a view of some of the internal parts in elevation withassociated parts in section.

Fig. III is a section on the line III- III of Fig. I. Fig. IV is asection on the line IV-IV of Fig. I,-which is in effect a side elevationof the back roll stop cam, locking rollers, and their relation to thecam-carrier member.

The structure as illustrated is the back roll stop mechanism as it wouldbe embodied in a housing associated with the usual transmission gearcase of an automobile, and more particu' rlarly it is shown as a formthat would be attached as a supplementary part to a typical gearcase,although the structure may be embodied with the original design of thegearcase, and other drive and driven shaft and gear change mechanism ofany type. V

The part I is a fragmentary portion of a fixed part such as the cover orange in a gearcase. A shaft 2 is the driven or propeller shaft or aportion of a member of the driven shaft assembly which is so associatedwith the driven shaft and the driven wheels that it will at all timesrotate with the driven wheels of the vehicle. This shaft also has any ofthe usual connections whereby the power or driving shaft when deliveringforward torque-effect will drive this shaft 2 either in forward orreverse direction.

Connected with the driven shaft 2 is hub 3 having a cylindrical bearingface 3a adapted to engage rollers 4, which in turn are engaged on theirradially outer side by a cam member 5, which has a suitable cam face 5absuperposed for contact with each of the rollers 4. ySuch cam faces 5apermit free movement in one direction with the hub contactl face 3aturning freely, but assuring the positive locking in the oppositedirection of rotation when the cam member 5 is positively held in aposition of adjustment by the balls 6 locking said cam member 5 in adenite 55 position on the cam carrier I, which in turn is suitablyanchored as by bolts 8 to the stationary casing or housing part I. Suchone-way, namely, roll back stop locking mechanism is in any suitableform, such as shown and described in my copending patent applications ingeneral, and more specifically in application Serial No. 648,533.

In the circumferential space between a plurality of rollers 4 there areabutments 9 formed as a rigid part of the cam-carrier 'I, and eachabutment is so positioned that it limits the circumferential movement ofits adjacent roller 4 in one direction. 'I'his is more clearlyillustrated in Fig. IV. The cam member r5 is circumferentially movable aslight degree, such as four or ve degrees, in the form of constructionshown, but such slight circumferential shifting is prevented by theinterengagement of a plurality of balls 6, such as three in the formshown, each engaging a hole I in the cam member 5, and a taperedcounterbore I I having walls approximating thirty degrees formed in thecam-carrier or stationary anchoring member 'I. When in the positionshown in Fig. I the balls 6 lock the cam member in a position withrespect to the camcarrier 'I so that the abutments 9 of the camcarrierare in a relative position to each cam face a that assures a positivelocking of the rollers 4 between the cam member and the cylindrical hubface 3a on the driven shaft.

The balls 6 are held in their position to lock cam member 5 by afloating ring I 2 having a beveled inner face I3 at a slight angle, suchas four to six degrees, in the form shown, which causes a reaction onthe balls 6 due to the pressure of a spring I4 that presses the ballsagainst the tapered sides of the holes I I in the stationary camcarrier,with the necessary force, to assure positiveholding of the cam faces 5ain their relative position to the abutments 9 to assure the Yfunctioningof the back-rolling lock .under all conditions of strain incident to theparticular car or vehicle .in its normal operation. Variations ofdimensions of angles, spring strength or size of structure and generallyin all parts may be made to meet the desired load conditions involved inany particular roll back stop for the particular vehicle on which it isto be used.

The floating ring I2 is moved laterally against the pressure of springI4 by fork I5 with forkarms I5a, having its boss I5b attached to ashifterbar I6. As here shown, the shifterbar has a flange or lipIaprojectlng into the path of another shifterbar II, shown fragmentary,actuated by a shifting lever I8. This particular arrangementaccommodates a typical gear shift lever I 9 with its shifting-arm I8engaging the ngers I 'IEl of a regular gear shifterbar which actuatesthe reverse gear shifting. In this form the normal operation of the gearshift lever I 9 when moved `to set the gears in reverse drive causesshifterbar I1 to engage the flange I6a on the supplemental shifterbarI6, and in turn move the floating ring I2 by-fork I5 against thepressure of spring I4-and thereby throws the setting mechanism,involving the floating ring, out of position that presses the balls 6,and thereby permits vthe balls 6 to be radially forced outward andreleases the cam member 5 so that it moves relative to the cam-carrier Iand permits the cam faces 5fl to shift with Arespect to the abutmentsB-thereby putting the back-rolling lock out of functioning.

When the gear shift lever I9 is moved to neutral position or forwardspeed, the pressure on the shifterbar I6 is relieved and the floatingring I2 becomes subject to lateral movement by the pressure of springI4,-but it is prevented from moving laterally and does not force theballs 6 into their locking position until the predetermined relation ofparts causes a release automatically, and permits the automatic actionof the spring I4 and the shifting of the floating ring I2 into itslocking position. This holding of the setting mechanism out of action isaccomplished by a grooved ring or sleeve engaging, in the form shown inthe accompanying drawings, pins 2I, which pins in turn are` mounted toslide radially, each in a guiding or bearing hole in the stationarycam-carrier 'I. While the form specically described shows pins and theirmountings, it will be understood that the form of such locking membersand the particular form of the ring may be varied in many ways whilestill resulting in the same functioning. The ring 20 is mounted on abearing on the hub 3 to turn with it but move axially on its bearingsubject to the pressure of springs 22 abutting a flange 22a, threesprings, as shown, being each housed in a relatively deep hole in thering 20, so that the pressure of the springs as originally determinedwill have a minimum variation in compressed or extended position. rIhe`ring 2U has a beveled face 23 adapted to engage a correspondinglybeveled end 2| a on pins 2I, and such bevel may preferably be aboutforty-five degrees. At the outer end of each pin a beveled end 2|b isadapted to engage the beveled face I3a on the floating ring I2 when thefloating ring is laterally moved against spring I4 into the unsetposition, and when pins 2| are so engaged they positively lock or retardthe lateral movement of floating ring I2 by resisting any movement dueto the spring I4. This condition exists when pins 2I are moved radiallyoutward, resulting from the floating ring I2 being un-set, that isvoluntarily moved by the operator through shifterbar I 6 against itsactuating spring. When theV pins have taken the position of holding thefloating ring, as shown in Fig. II, out of action, they have movedradially a sufficient extent to at first release the pressure of theinner ends 2la against the beveled end 23 of the ring 20, thesprings 22force the ring on the hub 3 with which it rotates being suitably keyedas by key 20a, and the pins 2I then ride the surface of the ring 2U,which in the form shown is provided with triple lead grooves. Thesegrooves may be threads, but are suitable spiral grooves adapted toengage theI end of the pins 2I in a way that will permit the pin ends tooverride the grooves when the ring 20 is being turned in one direction,while with the forward turning of the driven shaft the then direction ofrotation of ring 2D causes the three pins with their engage` ment withthe grooves to feed the ring 20 against the pressure of springs 22,until-with a predetermined extent of revolution, the pin ends 2| reachthe edge of the ring 20 and are free to slide into engagement with thebeveled end 23, thereby permitting radially inward movement of the pinswhich in turn are forced inward by their engagement with the obtusebearing surface I3a of the floating ring. With this accomplished theiloating ring is free to shift under the pressure of spring I4, and toset the balls 6 into the position that locks the cam member and cams inpositive relation with the cam-carrier '1. The pins 2I being carried bythe cam-carrier I pass through slots in the cam member 5, in order thatthere may be freedom of movement of the cam-carrier for the slightrotary movement for its functioning.

In the form shown, the cam member is notched on one side to accommodatethe lag bolts 8 which hold the stationary anchoring member 'l to thegear housing or other suitable fixed part.

It will thus be seen that the control ring as a part of the settingmechanism, provides for positively keeping the floating ring from beingautomatically forced by its spring into locking position until thedriven shaft or associated member turns the ring 2i) in the direction offorward drive of the vehicle a predetermined amount, such as, forexample, one-half revolution of the driven shaft. The movement of thedriven wheels, as one or two feet or more, may be determined as the bestforward movement permissible for the automatic functioning control, andthen the pitch of the grooves is accordingly established based on thedriving gear ratio, so that the exact predetermination of the time ofrelease of the back-rolling mechanism is settled for the best practiceof operation, and thereafter it functions automatically in the controlof the setting mechanism, and also positively prevents the setting ofthe back-locking mechanism under those conditions when it is not wantedand should not be permitted to function. The result is a positivelocking-out and a positive automatic control of the time of setting thefunctioning.

It will be noted that the operation may be by the shifterbar of anytransmission directly acting to throw out the floating ring, theactuation of the back lock will be entirely coordinated with the normalmovements of the driver when setting his change speed lever. In generalthe embodiment of my invention provides for the prevention ofback-rolling of a power vehicle only when needed, subject to the normaloperating means typical of the motor car of today, without leaving anyquestions of judgment to the operator, but being preidesigned to meetthe required services in a foolproof manner.

The embodiment of this invention eliminates the necessity of the drivermanipulating brakes to prevent back-rolling, or to meet the balancedconditions otherwise necessary in the application of the driving clutchwith brake pressure, and in turn supplies a permanently embodiedstructure which automatically meets all of the necessary conditions ofoperation, and may do so in practically all cases without calling uponany thought or judgment of the driver.

In the form herewith illustrated, it will be understood that the controlor shifterbar arrangements may be modified, and in particular the formsof such structures set forth in my copending patent applications may inany case be embodied with the particular structure claimed in thisapplication. More particularly, attention is called to theAinter-locking shifterbar construction, or any of its modifications, asset forth in my copending application Serial No. 569,159 filed Ocotober16, 1931, in which the shifting rod or control mechanism provides forholding the roll back mechanism inoperative under` certain conditions,permitting the car to be rolled back and forth, and such and any otherforms of control may, it will be noted, be equally combined with anystructures forming the subject matter of this application.

While variations may be made in many respects as to dimensions,arrangement and combination of my invention from the particular formherein shown and described, what I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent is:

1. A back-rolling lock for power driven vehicles,

having a plurality of rollers to lock against rotation in one directionof movement, a plain cylindrical surface fixed to one portion of thepower transmission mechanism and'a ring member with cams cooperatingtherewith and with the rollers, means for shifting the cam memberout-of-locking position and means for shifting the cam member to lockwith a stationary member and cause locking of the rollers, and meansinterconnected with said cam-moving means whereby a predeterminedforward rotation of the driven member automatically releases the cammember and permits it to be moved into a position to cause the rollersto lock.

2. An automatically controlled roll back stop for automobiles, a drivenshaft, a plurality of one-way locking rollers cooperating with acylindrical surface on a part associated with said driven shaft and anon-revolving cam member, setting means to lock the cam member rigidlywith a stationary member to set the stop into locking position, means tothrow said setting means to lock the cam member, voluntarily actuatedmeans for putting the stop out-of-functioning condition, eans forlocking the stop out-offunctioning position and means whereby apredetermined forward turning of the driven shaft automatically releasessaid locking means, and means thereafter automatically shifting the stoppositively to take functioning position.

3. A back rolling lock mechanism for an automobile, a propeller shaftassociated therewith, setting means to release and thereupon positivelyshift said lock to take functioning position, connections with thereverse gear shifting of the automobile to cause said setting means tonegative the functioning and automatic means to thereupon lock saidsetting means out-of-action, and interconnections of the said automaticmeans and said propeller shaft whereby said out-ofaction lock settingmeans is released only by a positive feed upon a predetermined rotationof the propeller shaft in the direction for forward motion of theautomobile.

4. A roll back stop for automobiles having a plurality of one-waylocking rollers cooperating with a cylindrical surface on a partassociated with the driven shaft and a non-revolving cam member, settingmeans to lock the cam member rigidly with a stationary member to set thestop in locking position, means to throw said setting means to lock thecam member, and means to prevent the automatic setting subject to thecontrol of predetermined forward revolving of the driven shaft.

5. A roll back stop as in claim 4, having a floating ring in saidsetting means, a reciprocating locking member for said floating ringcarried by a stationary member, a movable feed ring rotated by thedriven shaft and cooperating with said locking member to release thefloating ring from its locked position.

6. A back roll stop as in claim 4, having a locking member adapted toautomatically move to hold the setting member out-of-functioningpostion, and means moving with the driven shaft to automatically releasesaid locking member upon a predetermined degree of forward rotation ofthe driven shaft.

7. A back roll stop of the character herein described, having a feedscrew carrying sleeve rotating with the driven shaft and spring pressedin one direction of the axis of the shaft and means to limit themovement due to the spring, a locking member engaging the feed screw anda release at one end of the feed screw, setting mechanism for the stopengaging said locking member in cooperation with said groove and thesleeve release, whereby when the lock is riding the groove the settingmechanism is locked outof-functioning position and when the lockingmember rideso the groove the setting mechanism is released toautomatically function.

8. A roll back stop for power driven vehicles with a driven shaft and aplurality of one-way locking members concentrically disposed about theaxis of the shaft for radially balanced reaction upon locking, a lockingsurface on a part associated with the driven shaft and a non-revolvingcam member, setting means to lock the cam member rigidly with astationary member to set the stop into functioning position, means topositively actuate the setting means to lock the cam member, voluntarilyactuated means for instantly releasing all reaction to the lockingstrain on the cam member to permit the stop to assume out-of-functioningcondition under all conditions of loe-.d on said stop when in lockedposition, means for locking the stop out-of-functioning position,positive means associated therewith for holding said locking means inlocked position subject to and releasable only upon a positive feed by adenite predetermined forward turning of the driven shaft.

9. A roll back stop for an automobile having control means to set thestop out-of-functioning position, means to lock the stop in saidposition, a propeller shaft connected to said stop, and meansautomatically actuated by a positive feed actuated by a predetermineddefinite forward rotation of the propeller shaft to release said meansto lock the stop in out-of-functioning position, and automatic means topositively reset the stop into position into functioning position.

10. A back roll stop for power driven vehicles cooperating with thedriven shaft having a mechanism for automatically setting it intofunctioning position, voluntary operated means to effect instant releaseof all resistance to the locking reaction under all conditions offunctioning strain into non-functioning position, automatic means tothereupon positively lock the setting mechanism to prevent resumption offunctioning when the vehicle is moving in a rearward direction, andcooperating means so constructed and arranged that upon predeterminedforward rotation of the driven shaft said lock setting means is releasedby a positive feed permitting said automatic setting means to thereuponpositively shift the roll back stop mechanism into locked functioningposition.

11. A roll back lock associated with a propeller shaft of a motor car, aplurality of one-way locking rollers and means for releasing resistanceto the locking strain on the rollers associated with coordinated partsfor positively permitting said release and thereupon holding said meansin released position assuming the rollers remaining inout-o-f-functioning position, means for forcing said releasing means topermit said rollers to resume instant functioning position, andautomatic means preventing said resumption of locking position adaptedto engage said releasing means so constructed and arranged as to releasethe same only upon a definite revolution of said propeller shaft formovement of the car in a forward direction to a predetermined extent.

12. A roll back stop associated with a propeller shaft of a car, havingmeans to positively relieve instantly all resistance to locking strainwhen functioning, automatic means to lock the same out-of-functioningposition, means associated therewith to permit release of said automaticlocking means only by predetermined rotation of the propeller shaft formovement of the car in a forward direction, and means cooperating uponsuch release to automatically shift and lock the back roll stop in itsfunctioning position.

LINDSAY H. BROWNE.

